What is Reiki ?
Reiki is a non invasive form of healing. I liken it to massage, without the movement. The word means Universal Life Energy and it involves the transfer of healing energy from the Universe, via the practioner to the client. During a treatment the client sits or lies down. You remain fully clothed, just removing your shoes. There are no smelly oils and the client does not end up in a mess or dishevelled, making it an ideal treatment to receive during the day, when you have to be somewhere or look presentable later.
The Treatment
After taking some moments to breathe deeply and relax (both client and practioner), the practioner will place their hands on various parts of your body generally starting with the head, moving down the back of the neck and then down the body, in specific positions on the front and back of the body. They will keep their hands still on these places for some minutes, the precise amount of time varies, depending on the treatment and your body on the day. If you prefer the practioner can place their hands just above the body rather than actually touching - some people like to have their whole treatment like this, others just want a hands-off for particularly sensitive areas of their body and are willing to have touch in other areas. It is entirely up to you, and you should tell your practioner what you feel comfortable with - it is your treatment and a good practioner will not be offended in the least. Whether the practioner is hands-on or hands-off in no way effects the treatment, so it is at your choice how you feel most comfortable.
A treatment can last from 5 minutes to in excess of an hour, again depending on what you are requiring on any particular day. You can either experience a whole body treatment, or you may, in discussions with your practioner prior to the treatment ask for particular attention to be paid to a particular area. Be aware though that it is generally best to leave a certain amount of discretion to the practioner, as the treatment involves aligning the energy in the body and it may therefore be that attention is required in one part of the body to deal with symptoms manifesting in another part of the body.
Some people feel a tingly warmth when the practioner's hand are on them, but not everyone does, and there is no right or wrong feeling. After the treatment you will feel amazing. Relaxed, most certainly, but not in the spaced out, tuned out way that a massage can sometimes leave you with. Instead, you will feel both relaxed and energised - full of vigour and enthusiasm for life, all negative energy and misery drained away. You are able to carry this sense of invigoration and serenity with you.
Reiki can safely be given to pregnant mothers-to-be (indeed, many report that they find it of great benefit during pregnancy, labour and that the baby is noticably calmer and more contented in the early days), babies and small children. Treatments are generally shorter for the very young, but they often respond very quickly as well as they are so much more in tune with their bodies.
